Habitat use, home range, movements and interactions of introducedLepomis gibbosusand nativeSalmo truttain a small stream of Southern England

Abstract

AbstractRadio telemetry data were analysed to assess the microhabitat use, movement patterns, home range overlap and interspecific interactions of non‐native pumpkinseedLepomis gibbosus(L.) and native brown troutSalmo trutta(L.) in a small English stream located immediately below a commercial angling lake from which pumpkinseed escaped. Although both species favoured pool habitats, brown trout preferred higher velocities and coarser substrata compared with pumpkinseed. Also, some individual brown trout preferred deeper waters than did pumpkinseed. Home range area of brown trout was substantially larger than that of pumpkinseed in spring and summer, and for both species, home range area in autumn was significantly smaller than in the other seasons. Range centre distribution analysis revealed that both species were distributed significantly nonrandomly within the stream during all seasons. There was substantial home range overlap between the two species in all seasons, the greatest being in spring. Overall distances moved were greatest during spring for both species, with brown trout moving greater distances relative to pumpkinseed. However, the absence of mutual attraction or avoidance between the species, as well as the lack of cohesion in preferred habitats and strong territorial fidelity, suggests little or no impact of introduced pumpkinseed on resident brown trout.